The Juunishi's Prince
by gothicfairie1092
Summary: my new story!
1. Chapter 1

**Yaaay! My newest stroy!! please enjoy!!**

* * *

It's been so long.

Tohru couldn't help but think that as she made dinner. So long…she thought, unable to prevent the wave of sorrow that came with it. Adding some spices and seasoning, she found she was done with the hefty pot of stew that was hanging over the fire.

Tohru put the large flame out, staring at where it had been but moments before. She tried lifting the pot up, but she realized too late that it had grown heavier with the soup now inside. She continued to heave at the pot's handle, intent on feeding all who lived here.

"Do you need help?" came a voice from behind her. Tohru jumped and yelped before realizing that the voice belonged to a member of the household, Kyo. "Yes," She replied, smiling at him. "Thank you."

With Kyo's assistance they were able to lift the pot from its position above the fireplace and onto the table, where serving dishes awaited their owners. "Can you tell everyone that dinner's ready?" Tohru asked.

"What? Oh—yeah." was Kyo's distracted reply. He left the room, and the silence of it was intense. Without the crackling of the fire nor the sound of the wooden spoon stirring the meal, Tohru hadn't realized how quiet the house had become this past month.

The Sohmas started to appear. Kyo came back into the room, taking his seat at the end of the table. Shigure had entered as well, a fun-loving, childish man with a quick tongue. He took the seat opposite Kyo, on the other end. Soon Momiji and Haru had arrived as well, and Tohru joined them at the table.

Momiji, a young man who seemed but a child, with blonde hair and big eyes, asked, "What is that Tohru made for us tonight?" He grinned, looking over at her as she poured some soup into his bowl. "I'm afraid," Tohru started, feeling disappointment from the group, "that we're having leek soup again."

Kyo looked away, obviously annoyed. She knew how much Kyo disliked leeks, and if she could anything to change what they had to eat, she would. But it wasn't until tomorrow that Haru-kun would go to the market and buy more food. It wasn't a problem of money, just making the trip to the village.

"Well," Shigure said from his seat, putting on a joyous face. "If you made it, my flower, then it's sure to be delicious." She blushed at his words, knowing that he only said it to make her feel more comfortable.

"Tomorrow I'll go look for something else." Haru said. He had white hair with the darkest black of roots. He was naturally quiet and disconnected, and often said things out of thin air. "Perhaps we can have something else to eat then."

Tohru bowed my head, feeling ashamed that she could do nothing more.

"Hey," Kyo said abruptly, looking over at her. "It's not your fault, okay? None of it is, so stop looking so sad." It was unusual for Kyo to give such advice. Most of the time he would just complain or argue, so his words were warming, and Tohru tried to listen. "Okay," she replied, feeling slightly better.

When dinner was finished, Momiji stayed and helped Tohru clean up. They washed the dishes together, talking happily. Once that was done, the small boy went to bed. Tohru was alone once more in the kitchen. She looked out the window at the vast dark sky, stars glittering from above. A spot in the sky revealed the form of Ayyelos, a floating world that lived in our skies. It was a dark space in the sky, the only spot where stars didn't decorate the night. She wondered vaguely whether the stories of Ayyelos were true.

It was said that a man, a god, lived up there. He had control over our world, to a certain extent. He was a cruel and spiteful god, and showed no mercy to anyone. But could a being, even a god, live like that? Alone on Ayyelos, with no one around, hating everyone?

Finally, Tohru decided to go to bed, as everyone else had. She walked up the stairs cautiously, trying to keep the boards from creaking and awaking anyone. Her room, which the Sohmas had so generously given, was at the very top. She climbed another set of stairs. When she reached there, Tohru undressed and got into a sleeping gown. It was a white simple robe, with a fabric made for both warmth and coolness—perfect for any weather. It had been given to her by Yuki.

Yuki…she thought sadly, sitting on her bed, looking at nothing in particular. It's been so long…

Just little of a month ago, Yuki had vanished. It had been only Yuki and her, out in the forest. They were supposed to be gathering timber for the fire, but when she had turned around, he was gone. She had called for him, and then screamed out his name in fear. Tohru had ran back to the house, and told Shigure, who came back out and helped her search for him. But they had never found Yuki…

Tohru stifled a sob, still finding it hard to think about that night. Where had he gone to? Where was he now? Was he trying to find us, to come back to us? _Oh, Yuki,_ she thought desperately, _I miss you._

For some reason, she couldn't see Yuki to be the type to just up and leave. He had always been so formal, and so polite…she was sure he would never leave without saying goodbye. But what did that mean? Had he been killed? She found it hard to think about.

Tohru fell asleep with those thoughts floating around in her head, until they swirled together with her nightmares. She dreamed of a place of white, an eerie, cold white. There was grass, but not of the usual green. This green was more pale and translucent. The bark of the trees was silver—the leaves a pearly white, and a pond of water was of the clearest kind. In the distance she saw a castle, white and tall and magnificent, and yet…it sent terror weaving through her instincts and all she wanted to do was run. Run as far as she could. She tried to look around for an escape, but when she saw the edge of the land, there were enormous cliffs that leered over her, curving towards the tower of the castle. "Where am I?" she asked herself as she took a step forward, and the ground beneath her shattered. She screamed. Tohru was falling into blackness so solidly real that she feared she would suffocate. "Help me!" She cried at the very same moment another, lower voice did. She looked around, but nothing could be seen in the darkness.

She sat up suddenly, gasping for breath. What was that place? she wondered, trying to regain her bearings. It was so real…that blackness…she shuddered. She had thought that she was dying. It had been so existent.

What was going on?

* * *

**Please R&R!!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Shigure got up early in the morning, stretching his arms over his head and yawning leisurely. He demanded it of himself to get up, and he walked groggily to his study.

He ran his fingers through his hair once entering his workroom, wondering where to start. Piles upon piles of papers and scrolls littered the floor and everything else. Shigure cautiously made his way to his desk and sat down in front of the only clear space on it. A scribe, Shigure thought, is a much harder job than most would think.

He started where he left off and picked up yesterday's scroll. It was a boring and slow process to re-write an old record of taxes from years previous. He sat in his chair, hoping that the next parchment would contain more amusing words upon its surface. He kept working, scribbling notes and writing records, copying documents that he doubted came from this century.

When he heard the creak of the stairs, he knew that Tohru must have gotten up. He wondered faintly if there was any food left for breakfast. He'd have to send Haa-kun with more money this time.

He leaned back, letting his arms support him upright. He deserved a break. As he listened to the distant clinking of dishes, Shigure's mind started to wander. He couldn't help but keep guessing at what Akito had meant before he had disappeared. _'The end is near.'_ He had whispered to Shigure, sending shivers down his spine. _'Soon the juunishi shall live together. We'll walk the same path, until each of us dies. It'll be an endless banquet.'_

Akito…Shigure hadn't seen him since then. He had thought that somehow Akito must've died…but that would just be wishful thinking on his account. For why would the curse linger, when our god died? No, he thought bitterly, Akito is still out there.

He had disappeared though, just as Yuki has. And Shigure heard that…Kureno had disappeared before that too. He wondered what was happening, but to tell the truth, Shigure was sure that it's all linked together. Yuki wouldn't leave like that, and somehow, someone would've known the reason for Kureno's absence. It all leads back to Akio, he thought darkly.

_He's gathering us in_, a thought struck him as if sent by a messenger. Shigure sighed and looked around, wondering how he could do that.

"Shigure-san?"

Shigure turned to look at Tohru, who was standing in the doorway. "Everyone's awake," she said, smiling. "Come have some breakfast."

He grinned back at Tohru and winked. "Coming, my flower."

His three cousins were up as Tohru had said, eating. He joined them at the table, a smile resting on his face as Tohru set down a takoyaki in front of him. "It's the last one, Shigure-san; I thought you'd enjoy it the most."

"Oh, Tohru, I'm flattered!" Shigure said dramatically, holding the delicious morsel up in the air. "To think that our little house maid cared so much for me as to give me the last one!" With that, he took a bite, and it seemed impossible to grin any wider.

"Haa-kun," Shigure said, gulping down the last of his meal. "Here's some extra money for the market." He passed Haru an envelope and winked, "If there should be any left, you know what I like."

"As much takoyaki as it will buy." Haru said in a bored tone.

Breakfast continued on in much the same way. Shigure found it easier to be with the company rather than sitting alone in his disorganized study. At the end of the meal, Kyo got up, washed his plate, and went back upstairs to his room. It's where he spent most of his time, nowadays. Shigure thought it was a dreadful waste of time, but what was there to do about it?

"Ah—Shigure-san, Haru-kun…" Tohru said as Haru was walking out the door, and he looked back. "I was wondering…is it alright if I go with Haru-kun to visit the market?" She looked from Shigure to Haru.

"Fine with me." Haru said with a shrug. Shigure chuckled, and said, "Of course you may go, Tohru-kun. But why, I wonder?"

"I wanted to stop by and say hi to Uo!"

"Ah, Uotani-san,"

"Thank you so much, Shigure!" And she left through the door.

Shigure chuckled again at her innocence. It was refreshing to be with Tohru. She lit up the room like a candle. Momiji looked over at him, them being the only two people left in the room. "She's sad." The small boy said.

"Hmm?"

"Yuki's absence…" Momiji said quietly, his voice almost hollow sounding. "Has affected us all."

It was a true statement. Shigure had been noticing it all too much. Kyo's much more silent, and Tohru too, though they all pretended to not notice. Momiji's still always smiling, but his smiles don't seem quite as genuine. Haru…who ever knew what was up with Haa-kun? But it's affected him too. Shigure could feel it. The sadness would creep up on him like a shadow, its unbearable pressure on his heart tormenting him day and night.

"Yes," Shigure said finally. "Tohru is sad."

He returned to his work of deciphering the scrolls and pieces of parchment in his study, grateful to have something to take his mind off of things. But still, the shadow was there, waiting for an opening to his heart.

Momiji joined him soon after, muttering something about Kyo chasing him out of his room. Momiji liked to be with people all the time, even if they don't exactly find the same company pleasurable. So when Kyo forced the blond boy out of his place, the rabbit came to visit him.

Momiji held a rabbit doll. He didn't really play with it; he was far from that age. But to Shigure it seemed that Momiji found comfort in the thing. It was the last thing he had received from his mom before being abandoned in an alley of the village.

Shigure pitied the boy. With his father dead, Momiji's mother could not afford to keep both children. Of course, she got rid of the cursed child, Momiji. She threw that doll at him when she left him in the streets, telling him that she had only loved him because his father had. Momo, Momiji's younger sister, was commanded to never see Momiji again. Hatori found Momiji crying in an alley, and had brought him here. That had been years ago.

Momiji used to go with Haa-kun to the market as well. He found the crowded streets enjoyable, and sometimes people would give him treats just because he could make them smile. But one time, Momiji had encountered his mom there and had never left to wander the market streets since. Now he prefers drifting through the trees of the surrounding forest, or following Tohru around the house, helping her in any way.

But it was Akito who had scared Momiji's mom and told her that the child was a cursed monster.

It always comes back to Akito, doesn't it?

Shigure sighed, and Momiji looked up curiously. He gave the small boy a tired smile, and pretended that it was from work that he was like this. Momiji smiled back and looked away again.

It's all because of this curse, Shigure thought darkly. We could be free, but Akito has us all in his grasp now. Shigure added to himself, I wonder how much better the curse would be if anyone else played the role of god.

They're under a curse. The Sohmas, they are all a different year in the Chinese Zodiac. Shigure was the dog, and being such allowed him to communicate with other dogs—he could even understand a little bit of wolf—and when someone of the opposite gender embraced them, they would transform into that animal.

It was by pure luck that Tohru hasn't noticed.

Shigure continued to work, writing and scribbling and dipping in ink. And throughout all of it, thoughts of Akito and the curse, and even Yuki disturbed him. Hours passed away like that, with Momiji talking to him all the while. Kyo came down every so often, so look for anything left in the kitchen, or to ask a question or something.

"Kyo! Come join us—join us!!" Momiji called when Kyo passed by the door to Shigure's study. Shigure looked up, a little interested.

"Why should I? What are you guys even doing?"

"Oh, Kyo," Shigure said, giving him a dramatically sad face. "It's almost as if you're excluding yourself on purpose. You didn't even ask how my work was going!"

Kyo snorted. "How hard could it be to copy everything down?"

Shigure's eyes glinted. "You think it's so easy? Come help me, then, and we'll see!" Kyo stared at him for a moment before he came over and sat down next to me.

The three Sohmas sat together, as Shigure tried to explain everything to Kyo with as much complications as he could, giving room for Momiji to criticize his work. Kyo was soon very frustrated, until he stood up and started yelling something about how he had never wanted to be a scribe anyway. As he stormed out of the room, Momiji and Shigure started laughing.

Much of the rest of the evening was spent imitating Kyo's work while he tried to actually continue working at the same time. By the time night arrived, we heard the door open, and Momiji jumped up, calling, "Tohru's home!"

Shigure stood up as well, starting to walk out of the study and into the kitchen. Kyo was already there, helping to unload all the food that was brought. "So, was Uotani-san there?" He asked brightly.

"Yes!" Tohru answered, turning around to face him. "We had a great time."

"Wonderful." Shigure said, smiling. "Momiji, do you want to help Tohru with dinner?"

"Yeah, I do!" Momiji squealed, jumping up and down. As Tohru and Momiji left into the kitchen, Haru turned to him and handed him an envelope. "What's this?" Shigure asked, taking it.

"Hatori told me to give this to you."

It was hard to read the expression on Haru's face, as it always was, but Shigure thought that perhaps there was apprehension in his voice. "I see." Shigure answered. Then he left the room and into his study.

He read the letter that was inside, and Hatori's words sent fear into his blood.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**  


* * *

  
Yuki woke up, his body racked with pain. He lifted up his head to be filled with more agony. As he looked around, he couldn't remember where he was. How did I get here?

_Who am I?_

He couldn't remember anything. He tried, but the overwhelming pain seemed to only confuse him more. Where he was from, what his name was, who his family was…but none of it came to him. He looked around again, amazed at his surroundings.

White…it was white everywhere. Yuki had never seen such a place—that he could remember, anyway—with white trees and cliffs so enormous. He was in a field of roses, white roses. He couldn't find a way out. Yuki didn't know why an escape was what he was looking for, but it felt right. He saw a space between the cliffs and tried to stand up and start walking over to it, but his legs collapsed under him, and as he turned around to look at them, he saw why.

They were cut in many places, blood seeping through his pants and onto the white, pure petals of the roses. He realized that his arms were in the same condition, and anywhere else he could see or feel. There was a large gash in his stomach, and a deep cut across his face.

_What happened?_

Despite the immense pain it caused him, he started to crawl over to the space in the cliffs. He had to know where he was—who he was…anything. He wanted more than anything to just remember. Was it this pain that took away my memories? Or this cut on my head? Yuki highly doubted it, though he didn't understand why.

He finally reached where the space was. The land seemed to be an overhang itself, because the space only showed sky. He crawled up to it and looked down, and his stomach flipped and his head swam. Down, far down, was a land that looked familiar to him. There were fields and forests, and villages.

_I'm so high up,_ he thought, feeling sick. He hurried and scrambled away from the edge, back to the roses. Yuki didn't become conscious of how scared he had been until he took a deep breath, only realizing that he had been holding it.

"So you're awake, Yuki."

Yuki turned abruptly to face the voice. Fear started to pump through his veins, though he knew not why. He wiped away some blood that had begun to trickle into his eyes and stared at the man in front of him.

He looked not too much older than Yuki. He had dark hair with just as dark eyes. They were cold eyes, not a touch of compassion or kindness in them. He was tall and lean, and as Yuki stared, he smiled. It was not a kind one.

"Who are you?" Yuki asked cautiously.

"Akito—your master." He said cruelly, his smile widening. He took a few steps toward Yuki, and he backed away hastily. His injuries made him stifle a yell, turning out more to be a whimper. Akito laughed—it was a harsh, cold laugh; it was laughter as far away from happiness as was possible.

"What do you want?" Yuki asked, his voice shaking slightly.

Akito seemed amused. "Nn…I don't really feel like telling you, my _prince_."

What? What was he talking about? Prince?

"It's strange, though," Akito continued, his eyes glinting curiously. "This world, Ayyelos, seems to affect different people in different ways. Tell me, Yuki, you can't remember anything, can you?"

He didn't want to admit that. Whoever this man was, he wasn't one to be trusted. Yuki knew that. But how did this man know that his memories have seemed to be erased? He stayed silent. Akito's grin widened.

"And it seems that the wounds I had inflicted upon you haven't been healing…how odd." Akito seemed to feel no remorse at all for this, however. He only smirked and started to walk off, leaving Yuki alone in the field of flowers, bleeding as much as ever.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Rin's missing too.

Shigure told all of them at breakfast the next day, and Kyo was starting to feel like much more of this and he'd go insane. That's three people—three Sohmas missing, besides Akito. But no one cared what happened to him; Kyo was sure of that.

So Kyo guessed that Rin's disappearance was what Hatori had written to Shigure about. He wasn't as worried as he should've been. He never really knew Rin or Kureno that well, just some distant cousins of his that lived a village away. Of course, he knew that both of them had been part of the zodiac curse, but so what? Kyo didn't have to like them just because they were Sohma. Just like he hadn't liked Yuki.

Kyo, though he didn't know why, was almost certain that Yuki was dead. And what confused him more was that he missed the old fights between the two of them. It had kept him full of activity; he never had to think of the horrible reality of the curse or anything else. His hate for Yuki was always enough to keep him busy.

And now Yuki's gone.

What does that mean to the rest of us?

"Um, Kyo?" Tohru called to him as he ascended up the stairs. He turned to look at her, a little curious. "Who's Rin?" she asked, coming up to meet him.

Kyo sighed, and then gestured for her to follow him. "Come on, then." He said shortly, walking into his room. It was large enough, with a window and a few books on a shelf. Kyo sat on his bed, and waited as Tohru entered as well.

"Rin," he said, "Is a distant cousin of ours—year of the horse, black hair, tall…" He didn't know exactly what it was Tohru wanted to know about Rin.

"A cousin?" Tohru repeated, her eyes widening. "And she's gone missing? Oh, Kyo, that must be horrible for you and the Sohmas." She scooted closer, and he tried to back away. He really didn't want her to slip and hug him. Then he shrugged. "Not all that horrible; I hardly knew her."

"But she's your cousin!" Tohru exclaimed, as if that should be proof enough for a reason of love. "So was Yuki." I answered, and immediately regretted it. Tohru's face sunk, her smile disappeared. "Tohru—I'm sorry, I didn't mean—" but he didn't know what to say.

"Why do you say 'was'?" Tohru asked, looking down at her hands.

"Tohru…" he began to say, but in the end he just shook his head. He couldn't tell her that Yuki was dead. Even if that's what he believed, he wouldn't tell her that.

Just then Shigure walked by the door to Kyo's room. He stopped and poked his head in, grinning like an idiot. "Ah, having a sentimental moment, are we?" Shigure asked, obviously enjoying himself. "Proposing to her, are you, Kyo?"

Kyo stomped his foot on the ground. "Shigure, you pervert, get out of my room!"

"Strictly speaking, I'm not _in_ your room." Shigure said, smiling all the wider.

"I'll slam the door right on your face!"

Shigure mocked a frown, and said, "Now Kyo, is that how you treat the dear cousin who took you in?"

"I said get out!" he yelled with such venom that Shigure started to prepare to run. "Oh, Kyo!" Shigure started to sing, and Tohru laughed. Kyo stood up and ran for Shigure, who promptly left the place. "That stupid Shigure…" Kyo fumed, trying to calm his breathing.

Tohru stood from her seat at his bed, and said, "I should go now; Momiji's waiting for me!" Kyo nodded, a little distracted. She acted happy, he noted, but somehow, it didn't reach to her eyes. He was starting to worry how much more all of this could change them. Would it just keep getting worse?


End file.
